Cream of tartar

A fine white acidic powder, a by-product of winemaking, used to stabilize whipped egg whites, prevent sugar crystals and give snickerdoodles their tang.

Cream of tartar: A measuring spoon of fine white cream of tartar over a bowl of whipped egg whites in stiff peaks
  • Baking ingredients and additives

Also called: potassium bitartrate

Cream of tartar is potassium bitartrate, scraped from the inside of wine barrels and purified. A small pinch, often about 1/8 teaspoon per egg white, helps beaten whites whip up stable and glossy for meringue, angel food cake and soufflés. In candy and syrups, it helps stop grainy sugar crystals from forming.

It is also one of the acids in baking powder. A quick substitute for 1 teaspoon of baking powder is 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar, used right away.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Cream of tartar (Q56314905), Wikidata